Enhancing Data Sharing and Access: STORET and WQX

The STORET Program STORET: STOrage and RETrieval of water quality monitoring data STORET: STOrage and RETrieval of water quality monitoring data EPAs STORET Program: EPAs STORET Program: promotes sound data management practices promotes sound data management practices stores and maintains water quality data submitted by agencies/groups across the nation in the STORET Data Warehouse stores and maintains water quality data submitted by agencies/groups across the nation in the STORET Data Warehouse 3

The National STORET Data Warehouse A national repository of water quality monitoring data – Modernized STORET A national repository of water quality monitoring data – Modernized STORET Stores water data of all types (biological, chemical, physical) submitted by states, tribes, watershed groups, other federal agencies, and universities Stores water data of all types (biological, chemical, physical) submitted by states, tribes, watershed groups, other federal agencies, and universities Web-enabled: Data are available -- and can be submitted -- using the Web Web-enabled: Data are available -- and can be submitted -- using the Web Encourages data sharing at a national level Encourages data sharing at a national level

Who Puts Data in? State environmental agencies State environmental agencies Tribal environmental agencies and groups Tribal environmental agencies and groups Volunteer groups and watershed organizations Volunteer groups and watershed organizations Universities Universities Federal Agencies Federal Agencies

Importance of Data Sharing State and Tribal 106 Program State and Tribal 106 Program Water Quality Programs require Monitoring Strategies that include monitoring objectives, design, etc. Water Quality Programs require Monitoring Strategies that include monitoring objectives, design, etc. Water monitoring data management and sharing is vital Water monitoring data management and sharing is vital Biannual Assessment Reporting Biannual Assessment Reporting State 305(b) and 303(d) programs and Integrated Reporting State 305(b) and 303(d) programs and Integrated Reporting Cross jurisdictional monitoring data in support of water quality condition assessments Cross jurisdictional monitoring data in support of water quality condition assessments

Managing Data Locally Data sharing at a national level benefits from: Data sharing at a national level benefits from: Well documented data at a local level Well documented data at a local level Well managed data at a local level Well managed data at a local level

WQX Flow

Exchange Network WQX is one of many media flows on the Exchange Network WQX is one of many media flows on the Exchange Network Grants available to all organizations that wish to submit via WQX Grants available to all organizations that wish to submit via WQX States (DEQs, DPHs, Ag agencies); Tribes States (DEQs, DPHs, Ag agencies); Tribes Have various goals – basic capacity to mentoring Have various goals – basic capacity to mentoring WQX gets over 20 proposals every year (more than any other flow in OW) WQX gets over 20 proposals every year (more than any other flow in OW)

Goals of the WQX Effort 1. Make data submittal to WQX easier 2. Make data sharing more sustainable 3. Make it easier to get data out of STORET

Goal 1: Data Easier to submit WQX 1.0 was released in February 2007 WQX 1.0 was released in February 2007 Since then weve received >7 million results via WQX Since then weve received >7 million results via WQX WQX 2.0 was released in July 2008 WQX 2.0 was released in July 2008 Convened a workgroup Convened a workgroup Identified and discussed data elements Identified and discussed data elements Finalized the schema in April 2008 Finalized the schema in April 2008 WQX Web currently available WQX Web currently available Small organizations data submission tool Small organizations data submission tool

Goal 2: More Sustainable WQX is based around the Science of water monitoring, not a technology WQX is based around the Science of water monitoring, not a technology No longer chasing a specific technology No longer chasing a specific technology No longer force our data partners to run a particular software in order to share data No longer force our data partners to run a particular software in order to share data

Goal 3: Easier to get data out of STORET Began efforts to revamp sections of the STORET web site Began efforts to revamp sections of the STORET web site Created new mapping interfaces Created new mapping interfaces Created Watershed summary reports Created Watershed summary reports Created Web Services Created Web Services

What does WQX mean for users? Distributed STORET users: Distributed STORET users: Need to get a replacement database Need to get a replacement database Found that a lot of states where mainly using distributed STORET as a way of submitting – not to actually manage data Found that a lot of states where mainly using distributed STORET as a way of submitting – not to actually manage data Non distributed STORET users: Non distributed STORET users: Can continue to use their own databases Can continue to use their own databases Must map their data to the common schema Must map their data to the common schema Small users Small users WQX Web is the tool they can use WQX Web is the tool they can use

State / Tribal WQX Users The following organizations, by region, have submitted data via WQX The following organizations, by region, have submitted data via WQX R1: ME DEP, VT DEC, RI DEM R1: ME DEP, VT DEC, RI DEM R3: PA DEP, DE DNREC, DRBC, WV DEP R3: PA DEP, DE DNREC, DRBC, WV DEP R4: GA EPD R4: GA EPD R5: WI DNR, MI DEQ R5: WI DNR, MI DEQ R6: TX CEQ R6: TX CEQ R7: EPA R7 monitoring program R7: EPA R7 monitoring program R8: Wind River Tribes R8: Wind River Tribes R9: Yurok Tribe, Big Valley Rancheria, Hualapai R9: Yurok Tribe, Big Valley Rancheria, Hualapai R10: Stillaguamish Tribe R10: Stillaguamish Tribe BEACHES programs across many states BEACHES programs across many states

Data Coverage: 2004

2008

A new tool that is easy to use for submitting data to EPA A new tool that is easy to use for submitting data to EPA Accepts basic input formats (i.e. Excel Spreadsheets) Accepts basic input formats (i.e. Excel Spreadsheets) Tool will have translations for mapping data to WQX domain values or defaults Tool will have translations for mapping data to WQX domain values or defaults Tool creates WQX XML that a user can send through the WQX framework Tool creates WQX XML that a user can send through the WQX framework WQX Web

Accessing Data The National STORET Data Warehouse serves as the national repository for Modern STORET data as well as WQX data. Users may obtain data from the warehouse through the STORET home page : Web services providing direct access to warehouse data will also provide enhanced accessibility to the data.

STORET Warehouse Updates The National STORET Data Warehouse enhancements for improved data accessibility The National STORET Data Warehouse enhancements for improved data accessibility New Watershed Summary – Available Now New Watershed Summary – Available Now New Web Services – Available Now New Web Services – Available Now Please visit the STORET website for more information : Please visit the STORET website for more information :

Watershed Summary Examples